


On Food and Jobs

by Gorgeous Nerd (gorgeousnerd)



Series: dogdaysofsummer 2009 [15]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: dogdaysofsummer, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-08-21
Updated: 2009-08-21
Packaged: 2017-10-18 23:25:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/194436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gorgeousnerd/pseuds/Gorgeous%20Nerd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remus wants to keep his problems quiet, but that's hard with Sirius around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On Food and Jobs

**Author's Note:**

> For [dogdaysofsummer](http://dogdaysofsummer.livejournal.com) 2009, [prompt 15](http://community.livejournal.com/dogdaysofsummer/294285.html). Also available on [its original community post](http://community.livejournal.com/dogdaysofsummer/313346.html), [my LJ fic community](http://community.livejournal.com/chomalfoyfics/20651.html), and [DW](http://firmament.dreamwidth.org/13993.html).

Starting on August 15th, Remus received a parcel of food on his doorstep daily.

Most of what he received, he didn't need. There was some occasional bottle of wine or cheese that appealed to him, and those he saved, but most of the food he donated.

The notes attached to the parcels were unsigned, but the identity of the sender was no mystery. Sirius's handwriting and ink blots were unmistakable. Or they were to Remus, at any rate.

He started sending owls to Sirius, and replies came in the parcel notes.

August 21st:

- _I appreciate the gesture, but I don't need the food. Thank you. ~Remus_

August 22nd:

- _I can see your collarbone sticking out. You need to eat._

- _I eat plenty. You've seen me eat. ~R_

August 23rd:

- _I don't see you eat every day, and your shoulder blades are visible through your robes Therefore, food._

It was at this point Remus sensed that further written correspondence would result in further cyclical arguments, so he grabbed Floo powder and stuck his head in his fireplace.

Sirius's sitting room was empty. It wasn't surprising; he'd purposely set up the fireplace he would see least for the Floo Network. Remus placed his wand against his throat, whispered "Sonorus", then said in a booming voice, " _SIRIUS_."

The man in question stumbled in the room about a heartbeat later, complete with his hands over his ears. "There's no reason to destroy my hearing!"

Remus put a hand over his mouth, said " _QUIETUS_ ", and removed both appendage and wand from direct contact with his body. "Sorry. You could have been in the shower."

Sirius plopped on the couch in front of the fire. He rubbed a pointer finger in his left ear. "What's this about, then?"

"The food. What else?"

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about?" Sirius adopted an angelic look. Even if Remus hadn't had evidence, he wouldn't have been fooled.

"There's no need for you to spend so much when I'm not even eating it."

"What?" Sirius jumped to his feet. "Remus!"

"Not so innocent now, are we?"

Sirius had the grace to blush. "You're a walking skeleton, Remus. Peter agrees with me."

Remus exhaled loudly. "Peter's not the most observant fellow. And neither are you, for that matter."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Back at Hogwarts. I ate as much as you and James, sometimes combined. It didn't stop my mum from having to take in my robes every time I went home."

"Oh." Sirius looked thunderstruck. "I guess I thought you were growing."

"I was, in part. But mostly..."

"What?"

Remus's throat tightened. "Werewolves have a higher metabolism."

The tension left Sirius's face, and he lowered back onto the sofa slowly. "I didn't know."

"Not many people do. It's not something they talk about in Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Sirius slid off the couch completely and sat cross-legged on the floor. "Sorry."

"It's nothing."

"Doesn't look that way to me."

"I live with it, okay?" Remus winced at the sour tone in his voice and knew it wouldn't pass unnoticed.

It didn't. "What's happening?"

"Nothing more than usual."

"How long ago?"

"I don't--"

"How long?" Sirius repeated.

Remus looked toward the left wall bookshelves. "A couple months."

"A couple _months_? And you didn't tell anyone?"

Remus clenched his jaw. "Why should I? You take pity on me just fine on your own."

"We can help you, stupid git!"

"No, you can't!" Remus beat his hands on the brick of his fireplace. He was glad Sirius couldn't see that, at least. "I have to live with it."

"But we have connections. It can't be hard to find another job."

It took all of Remus's self-control not to leave. "Finding a job? No. Keeping from getting sacked when I take off the day after the full moon every single month?"

"There has to be someone who doesn't mind hiring a werewolf."

"From what I hear," Remus said bitterly. "Lord Voldemort's quite keen on them."

It was Sirius's turn to flinch. He shook his head as if to remove the name from his ears and said, "Do..."

"What?"

"You could live with me." Hastily, he added, "If you want."

"Live with you?"

"Yeah," Sirius said. He shifted slightly and tapped his hands on his knees. "It's a big place. Lonely. And you could pay rent. Not as much, since you'd have a roommate, but--"

"All right."

Sirius beamed. In a rush, he leaned forward and kissed the tip of Remus's nose. "You won't regret this."

"I don't know about that," Remus said as a goofy smile spread across his face. "But thanks."

The last thing Remus saw as he withdrew was Sirius winking at him.


End file.
